Blondie and I were updated last night by long telephone conversations with Pip’s husband John, followed by another one with youngest brother Sander. The news is guardedly good regarding Dad – he is still in ICU, but awake, coherent and has been able to get up and walk around, and have visitors. He is also giving the nurses hell, of course – but I am sure in the most charming way. He will probably move into a regular hospital room in the next few days, but the down side – is that he will be there for a while, as the pneumonia is still holding on.

Pip is going to take Mom to her home in Pasadena for Christmas; Pip, after all, has two children who deserve to have something like a normal Christmas. Mom is OK, basically – but the thought of leaving her alone at the house just gave everyone the heebie-jeebies. J.P. and his wife (who live near El Centro) will ride herd on Dad. We’ll call Pip on Christmas Eve for another update, and to get an idea of when I will be most needed.

I am still intending to go out to California by the Sunset Limited in early January and stay for about two months – it seems that a coach seat is extremely reasonable in comparison to airfare, and although it takes about 24 hours (even without allowing for delays) that’s about as long as it takes to drive. I can take up to three fifty-pound bags, and avoid being molested at the security gate; what’s not to like?

Several readers have made donations to the travel fund – for which I thanked them extravagantly. Financially, this is will be a huge wrench, not just because of the cost of travel, but that I will not be able to work for certain paying clients during the two months that I’ll be away. With luck – and if I can talk Mom and Dad into getting internet access at the house, I can go on working on other stuff, carrying on with the various book projects, and with the Tiny Publishing Bidness. Fingers crossed on that one – otherwise, I’ll be camped out most days at the Valley Center Public Library, which would negate some of the purpose of being there for Mom and Dad.

So – Merry Christmas all. Next report, Christmas Day.